The volleyball team's dominance has been well-documented here on The Buzz, but here's one more interesting tidbit on just how historic this season was.

The All-Ivy awards were announced this week, and Penn set yet another record with FOUR first team selections, becoming the first team ever to accomplish that feat. Ivy League Player of the Year Elizabeth Semmens was a unanimous selection, as was setter and Ivy assists leader Megan Tryon. Penn's all-time single season and career digs leader, Madison Wojciechowski also got the nod for first team, and Rookie of the Year Lauren Martin became the first freshman in four years to earn the honor. Current Yale senior Alexis Crusey did so, and this year she became just the fifth player to earn a first team selection for all four seasons. Martin could very well be on her way to becoming the sixth.

The Quakers are waiting anxiously for this Sunday's NCAA tournament selection show, when they'll find out their first-round opponent. Last year Yale defeated Albany before being trounced by a dominant Penn State team. Penn will most likely be playing at Penn State, but it hopes to face a beatable opponent before running into the Nittany Lions.

The volleyball team got a bit of luck and made a bit of its own today, and in the end they're going to sleep as at least the co-Ivy champs. But we all know it's just a matter of time before it's all theirs.

Second-place Yale lost to Dartmouth while Penn was battling Cornell this afternoon. The Quakers were down 2-0 to a pumped up Big Red team playing on senior night, and were even on the verge of being swept when it was 23-20 in the third set. They clawed back miraculously to win that set 25-23 and went on to defeat Cornell in five games.

The Bulldogs' loss dropped them to 8-3 in the Ivy League, and with just three games remaining Penn (20-4, 11-0 Ivy) has to win just one of its next three (all at the Palestra) to be the outright Ivy champs. I doubt I'll ever say this again, but I really wish I could've been in Ithaca tonight. It sounds like it was an absolutely amazing game. Chances are the team didn't even know that Yale had lost, since the games were played at the same time. So they fought furiously to stay undefeated knowing that even with a loss they still controlled their own destiny toward being crowned the victors, and it certainly paid off. It has truly been a special season for this team. Their first chance to clinch the outright title is next Friday the 13th against Harvard. And if the Quakers win and the heavens are truly on Penn's side (despite the ominous date), then the next day Penn football will also beat Harvard to clinch a share of the title.

Check out Monday's DP for complete coverage of today's game and for reaction from Coach Kerry Carr and some players.

After the jump, some more notes on this year.

• (more...)